Japan to Join U.S. Policy on Taiwan

American officials have long paid close attention to Chinese threats to use military force against Taiwan should the island move towards independence. Japan, on the other hand, has traditionally avoided taking a stance on the issue, prioritizing the maintenance of close economic ties over confrontation. However, with China rapidly modernizing its military and drawing business away from Japan, Japanese officials are assuming a more assertive stance with China, particularly with regards to Taiwan. Japan will declare this Saturday that it is entering a joint agreement with the US that describes Taiwan as a mutual security concern. This announcement comes in the wake of Japan's dispatch of a military aircraft when a Chinese submarine briefly intruded on its waters this past November. "We consider China a friendly country, but it is also unpredictable," a senior Japanese government official said. "If it takes aggressive action, Japan cannot just stand by and watch." – YaleGlobal